Simulation and optimization of carbon dioxide capture using Water-Lean solvent from industrial flue gas

[Display omitted] •The accuracy check of Aspen Plus was performed through experiments.•Detailed analysis for key parameters of CO2 capture process was investigated.•Multi-objective optimization for the CO2 capture process was carried out.•Technical-energy-economic-environment (4E-) analyses with evaluation indexes were studied. Amine-based chemisorption technology with water-lean solvent is a promising route towards low-cost CO2 capture. Optimized water-lean amine-based solvent, composed of blend amines and physical solvent, is adopted to verify the performance of split-flow heat exchange strategy for CO2-rich solvent regeneration. A rigorously validated process simulation method is proposed for operational optimization and comprehensive economic, exergy, environment, energy (4E) analysis of the capture process on an industrial scale. The experimental and simulation results indicated that the optimal ratio of split-flow was 0.55–0.70, with this ratio resulting in the reflux temperature increasing from 90 to 112 °C. The proportion of total energy duty that went to reaction heat was increased to 71% from 52% in the benchmark case; this increase was ascribed to the synergistic promotion of physical solvent and split-flow heat exchange configuration. The water-lean solvent could operate at a regeneration duty of 2.07 GJ/t CO2 with a total capture cost of US $50.40/t CO2 (27% lower than the benchmark value) from coal-fired flue gas. In summary, the net CO2 reduction can be increased by 28%, taking the utility heat-cold consumption into account. This research indicates a feasible method of taking full advantage of water-lean solvent to achieve efficient CO2 capture.